A/N: Hey, Megatokyo Seraphim here, and I realize you all are trying to track me down so you can hurl shoes and other miscellaneous objects at me for not updating, but please forgive v_v;; Summer is here, and to show my dedication to you readers, I'd like to let you know that I was typing this up instead of studying for my finals. Nonetheless, my absolutely worst subject final that I have tomorrow--math. I still don't see how I'm passing that class..... v_v;;

Peach: Hopefully she can post another, one shot fic of the G boys' adventures tomorrow. As a celebration of summer, and the fact that she doesn't have to touch a flute ever again. But that's only if she doesn't get killed by the school narks for bringing spring loaded confetti canisters to signify the end of school.

MS: I'm so pathetic......

Duo awoke suddenly to the violent shakes of the ground and the flickering lights above him. He could hear screaming and crying all about him, and so much more. These voices.... I've heard them before... Duo snapped to attention instantly. Shinigami has been here!

Red lights flashing and alarms buzzing in his ear, he began to take the IV needle that had been placed in his arm out. Making sure nothing was left that could restrain him from escaping the chaos about him, besides his own failing energy, Duo picked around for a quick weapon in case he had to defend himself. Finding nothing, he decided to make the run anyway.

"Ha, these people are too busy trying to save their own stinking hide to think of anyone else," He told himself aloud. Snatching the cold handle of the door in his hands, he gave a jerky pull, then a push. The door refused to budge. Beginning to panic, Duo ripped and jerked at the doors and windows, searching to find a way to escape. An all too familiar smell reached his nose, and he knew that the building had been placed on fire.

Looking for a less obvious route of escape, Duo turned his attention to the light swishing around above the bed. Duo ran towards the bed, but when he tried to jump atop the bed, his stomach muscles stretched, creating shock waves of pain to race through the pilot. He fell backwards into a crumpled form on the ground, narrowly avoiding sharp instruments.

"God.... Heero.... Shar....Someone...Please save my soul.....Please...." A tear of sorrow, pity, self-hatred, and repent escaped from the boy's chin, sliding down the soft peach cheek, leaving a trace. More followed; more crystals from the heart full of sins escaping from their eternal confinement in the sky outside. "Please.... please just forgive me for my sins, my horrid deeds...."

A spark of electricity fell from the program equipment by the window, but Duo refused to move, knowing that there was no hope left for him. He laid forgotten, forgotten by his friends, family, his love. It was if there was no reason to keep on living.

The very idea of the self-disgust Duo felt for himself made him begin to heave. The stinging from his stomach and body had subsided to a dull pain, even as any food he had been able to consume was now flowing out again.

A crash from above sounded off like lightening as the lights fell down. The silhouette familiar face stood in its place, breaking off more ceiling to create a bigger hole. "Did somebody ask for a miracle?" A burst of flame from behind the figure flashed a picture of his face, a face Duo could never forget.

"He-Heero!" Duo exclaimed, wiping his mouth and beginning to smile once again. "How did you--"

Heero jumped down from his spot and landed by Duo, embracing him in his arms and lifting him gently into his arms. "There's no time. This base is going to blow any minute, and I wasted enough time just trying to get to this room." He jumped onto the bed lightly and began to help Duo into the rafters above, watching him struggle. "You've been...hurt...." Heero added, not sure what to say or do.

"Right now is not the time to worry about something like that!" Duo exclaimed, trying not to choke from the smoky arena. He finished clambering into the tiny electrical hole, and notice that there were no wires or anything. He shot a quizzical look at Heero, who was climbing in after him.

"What? They would be a potential danger to the mission. A spark could set our only escape route on fire, therefore not enabling us to complete the mission."

Duo only shook his head, and decided to leave the subject at rest. "I have to find the commander of this place. We have to save her, you and me."

Heero looked annoyed by the very thought. "That is not an option. We are against Oz, even their commanders who only poison their prisoners."

So Heero did notice, Duo thought to himself. He had been hoping he could slip by without anyone noticing his handicap, but Heero had been too good. It's not like it wasn't obvious or anything, Maxwell.... He turned to the topic at hand. "She's a good person, and she didn't poison me," Duo said crossly. "She helped me out a lot here,"

Heero scoffed in return. "You must be on heavy drugs to actually be brainwashed enough to believe what they tell you. You're a highly trained, professional gundam pilot, Duo. You should be able to think for yourself, even when put on their drugs." It was obvious he wasn't taking Duo seriously in the least bit.

"I'm NOT drugged, and I DO make my own opinions!"

Heero only smirked, but it was as though he was yelling in Duo's ear. "Whatever," He replied . "We might have to replace you if you keep this up."

Duo whipped around with amazing ease in the small tunnel. Face burning red with anger and hatred, Duo came nose to nose with his companion. "Dammit Yuy, if you EVER say that again, joking or not, I SWEAR I'm going to rip that damn smile off your face for good!! Now tell me where the hell the commander's office is!"

Voice quieting to a deadly whisper, Heero gave a glare that promised death to those who defied it. "You shall not tell me what I can or cannot do to keep this team at its very best. Second rate is not an option, and if you cannot keep up with the terms of being a gundam pilot, then you shall not be allowed to do such. Got that, Maxwell?" An icy feeling crept about, despite the rising temperature and smoky conditions swirling around them.

Duo raised his head with a dangerous look reflecting in his eyes. "I understand as much as you do. You are not excluded from these rules, so if I say I am doing this for the better of the team, you had better cooperate, or you'll be out as well." Silence sunk between the two, a fire of such degree burning from each other's eyes. "Now," He said, tone becoming more dangerous and deadly. "Tell me where the commander's office is."

Heero paused, then said, as though it was against his own personal opinion, "Three shafts to the left, second opening on your right.

Duo whipped around and began to head to his new destination. "Good boy, Heero." He whispered to himself.

***

Quatre dashed through the kitchen where Trowa and Wufei had been standing in shock. Whipping outside to the bright flames that arced the sky, the blonde boy could do not much more than stand in bewilderment. "Oh...my...." Was all he could emit from his hanging mouth.

Trowa and Wufei came behind the pilot, and all three stared dumbfounded at the smoke and fiery hell in the distance. Trowa was the first to speak.

"That's the..." His voice faded away in the distance.

"Yeah," Wufei replied. "Duo could be in big trouble.... We need to go help him...."

Quatre began to tremble slightly. Screams from the nearby village pierced through the night like a knife on flesh. "They're attacking the people....!!"

A wave of fear and worry rose among them, and they dashed off to the hangar simultaneously. Quatre was afraid of who started the giant fire, the fire that was spreading to civilian homes, taking their innocent lives.

As he scrambled to the lift, he felt a reassuring hand placed on his shoulder, squeezing gently. "It wasn't him, it's going to be okay." Trowa's voice melted into the blonde's ear. "We'll save these people yet."

Wide, innocent eyes looked up, and found comfort in the stern voice and sure emerald eyes. He smiled weakly, and struggled into the cockpit of Sandrock.

In but a few minutes of preparation, the three gundams were ready for lift off. Familiar faces set in stone determination looked at one another through their screens, creating a silent agreement, a solemn promise. A jet of gas and flame spouted through the lifts, and the gundams raced into the night sky, knowing they could rely on their friendship, cooperation, and silent words to help them defeat their enemy.

I've got your back.

MS: How's that for eventful? Aya aya, my neck hurts so much from looking at the computer screen @_@ But anything to please the readers, eh?

Peach: That took a long, long time to write..... Now I'm hungry and tired, and want to go to sleep, but no, I have to get ready for school.... *grumble grumble* I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thursday afternoon cannot come soon enough.

MS: Please review, and let me know I didn't fail my finals for nothing!